The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1887-08-26
A NAN WITHOUT A JAW.
Wounded with Poisoned Spear in
an African Jungle.

A man without a jaw Is Michael Cas-
telar, who was recently admitted as
patient to Roosevelt Hospital, \. Y.
The Herald says:
He Is q Spaniard, about fifty years
old, and has spent much Of his time at
sea.
Three years ago the bark on which he
was acting os mate was driven ashore on
the coast Of Africa in a hurricane.
Three sailors beside CASTELAR, were the
only ones who survived the shipwre.k,
and one OF the sailors fortunately had
been a member Of an expedition that had
gone into the interior several years be
fore in search Of ivory and was familiar
with the country and the habits Of the
natives. To get TO the nearest civilized
settlement required journey Of about
seven hundred miles through thick jun
giles and 1niasmatic lowlands and over
lofty mountains. The four started on
the wealisomo march. At the end Of d
month two Of the sailors died Of fever,
and after their bodies had been decent
" buried the survivors pressed on to a
place Of safety.
There was plenty of food in the wild
growing vegetation, birds nests and
small game. and much danger from the
wild beasts and ferOciOus natives. The
two men ALWAYS avoided the natives
whenever it was possible, but on sever
al occasions there were hand to hand
conflicts and the travellers had many
wound to testify to the agility of the
native born citizens. On one occasion
CASTELAR,, while fighting with a native,
was struck in the face by a long spear
like weapon the point Of which was
driven through both cheeks. Castelar,
grabbed the weapon and with a dexter
Gus thrust sent 1t into the h,""iI man'S
heart. He carried the thing 18th him
aftCrward. Some leaves that the sailor
Gathered checked the hcmOIrhage from
the severe wound, and when they got in
to the settlement, about ten days later,
the wound seemed to be healing we'll.
An English surgeon was visited, and
to save Disagreement from the Imper-
tect healing, he reoDened the wound and
Sewed it up in the regular way. But
the wound did not heal as readily as
had been anticipated and the flesh
sloughed away III q surprising manner.
Castelar, l)st flesh, became exceedingly
weak and III time his skin became q
dark copper color. Then the surgeon,
en- examining the weapon with which
the l'tllnd was made, found that it was
the travjah or poisonous spear. The
head of the spear is dipped IN vegeta
table poison known only to the natives,
which, though it acts slowly, is believed
by them to produce certain death. An
antidOte was given and had the effect of
improving the patients condition and
rendering the skin a natural color. The
external wound in the cheek closed, but
II
of pain in both jaws.
Castelar, was 50 completely run down
that he was advised to take sea voyage,
and when IL tramp steamer came into
the port he shipped on her, bound for
China and then to this city. Through
ont the long voyage CASTELAR, did not
have q moments peace. The motion of
the vessel seemed to aggravate the pain
in his Jaws, and on the trip from China
here he would have been turned over to
the fishes if the captain had not been
unusually mild for his calling. The
day of his arrival he was removed to
Roosevelt Hospital and his case was
carefully studied in the light of the his
tory of the injury.
From the symptoms and the gradual
decline in the patients health the con
clusiOn was reached by DR. Spencer
that the patient had q canceroUs tumOr
involving both jaws. As to how far the
condition of the jaws WAS due to the in
oculation from the poison was Il matter
of doubt. Some Of the consulting ply
sicians held that it had nothing to do
with it. But it was decided that eXtir-
patton of the jaw was necessary. The
patient was taken to the operating room
the day after his admission to the hos
pital and placed under the influence of
ether, and the operation was success
fully and sllillfulIy performed. What
was left did not look much like face.
The wound has now nearly healed,
the patient is recovering strength, but
his face is as fiat as q pancake. An
attempt will be made as soon as the ten
derness IS gone to put III an artificial
rubber Jaw to give the face a natural
appearance. If the patient can get used
to the Inconvenience there will not be
much deformity left in the contour,
though, of course, the scars will show
something of what he has gone through.
Whether there viii be permanent cure
cannot be told for a year.